Empria pumila

Recorded widely across much of mainland Britain (Musgrove, 2023).

The only British species that has pale patches on the first tergite. Those paired pale patches continue on tergites 2 to 5 (or 8 in the female). Claws simple. Antennal segment 8 less than 3 times as long as broad.

Empria pumila larvae feed on  Meadowsweet.

Jump to other Empria species

Size: Approx. 4 - 6mm

GB IUCN Status: Least Concern
GB Rarity Status: None

Distribution: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland

Flight period: May

Plant associations: Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) 

The National Biodiversity Network records are shown on the map below. (See terms and conditions)

References:

Benson, R.B., 1952. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. Hymenoptera, Symphyta, Vol 6, Section 2(a-c), Royal Entomological Society, London

Heidemaa, M.; Prous, M. 2006: The Larvae of Empria pumila (Konow, 1896) and E. pumiloides Lindqvist, 1968 (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae). pp. 97-104. In: Blank, S. M.; Schmidt, S.; Taeger, A. (eds.) 2006: Recent Sawfly Research: Synthesis and Prospects. - Goecke & Evers, Keltern: 704 pp.

Musgrove, A.J. 2023. A review of the status of sawflies of Great Britain - Phase 2: The Athaliidae and the Tenthredinidae (excluding Nematinae). Natural England, unpublished

Prous, M. 2012: Taxonomy and phylogeny of the sawfly genus Empria (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae). - Dissertationes Biologicae Universitatis Tartuensis, Tartu 222: 192 pp.

Liston A, Knight G, Sheppard D, Broad G, Livermore L (2014) Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Sawflies, ‘Symphyta’. Biodiversity Data Journal 2: e1168. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.2.e1168